BACC announces its Outstanding Women Leaders
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce Women's Biz Net will honor four local women leaders during the chamber's 6th annual Outstanding Women Leaders Awards Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Biltmore Country Club, 160 Biltmore Drive, North Barrington.
Tickets to the luncheon program are $45 and can be purchased online at www.BarringtonChamber.com.
The 2023 OWL honorees are: Michelle Streit, co-creator/leader of Barrington Boat Club and the OWL recipient for Professional Excellence; Kathleen Leitner, president of Citizens for Conservation (CFC) and the OWL recipient for Nonprofit Leadership; Dori Squires-Hough, executive director at Barrington Giving Day and the OWL recipient for Community Impact; and Dr. Avis Proctor, president of William Rainey Harper College and OWL recipient for Mentorship and Education.
"Our communities are better and stronger as a result of the contributions of these Outstanding Women Leaders," said BACC President/CEO Suzanne Corr.
"OWL women serve as role models. They are breaking barriers and setting the bar high for their accomplishments professionally and to the community. They have meaningful stories to share that we can all learn from."
The 2023 Class of OWL recipients have dynamic records of community service and professional achievements. They are:
• Michelle Streit is the creator and leader, along with husband Dillon, of Barrington Boat Club, a venture that makes boating an easy and affordable experience for families to enjoy a day on the water.
As boat enthusiasts, lifelong boaters, and owners of All Marine Services in Cary, they started with one Boat Club location and now have three - two on the Fox River and one on Bangs Lake. The success of these ventures also led to opening All Marine's Retro Rentals on the McHenry River Walk. There, the community can enjoy a scenic ride in retrofitted boats. They also rent kayaks, standup paddles and more.
Because Streit believes nothing feels better than a great day on the water, she also created the Retro Retreat, where families can order food and drink on the McHenry County River Walk beach area. It has become a gathering space for locals to enjoy live music, watch the sunset or let the kids play in the sand.
A teacher at Cary-Grove High School, Streit has made it a mission to bring boating to hundreds of local families.
• Dori Squires-Hough is executive director at Barrington Giving Day, a nonprofit organization that invites families who qualify for the Free and Reduced Meal Program through Barrington Community Unit District 220, or who have been hit by unexpected hardships, to attend Giving Day events.
These events include the Winter Event, Back-to-School Event, and Spring Event, all of which provide donated clothing, toys, books, personal products and more items for those in need.
The December Event alone serves over 436 families, including 1,086 children. It requires about 430 volunteers and an army of people from the school district, including students, teachers, and faculty. A highly dedicated and resourceful leader with experience in all aspects of nonprofit management with over 500 volunteers, Squires-Hough has consistently demonstrated a proven ability to provide team leadership, driving performance, program improvement, and quality initiatives.
Squires-Hough is a visionary leader known for her ability to win community support, develop key coalitions and build relationships with a shared sense of purpose.
• Kathleen Leitner was named president of Citizens for Conservation (CFC) in 2018. She is a civic-minded attorney and was a multi-term village president of Tower Lakes. Leitner was an eight-year member of the Barrington Area Council of Governments, and afterward continued to remain active at BACOG by serving on legislative, finance, policy, and long-range planning committees.
Leitner represented BACOG in the formation of the 70-community NW Water Planning Alliance, a collaborative plan to share groundwater resources. She is an active community volunteer and the founder and member of the Tower Lakes Community Foundation.
Citizens for Conservation was incorporated in 1971 to assure that native plants and wildlife would continue to exist in the Barrington area, and to preserve and protect their habitats. They manage and restore over 400 acres and their restoration program is a model for the state and nation. Under Leitner's leadership, CFC just acquired the 246.5-acre Hill 'N Dale Farm South property from the Duchossois Group.
• Dr. Avis Proctor became the sixth president of William Rainey Harper College in July 2019. She has more than 25 years of experience working in multicultural environments as an innovative mathematics educator and academic administrator with a focus on teaching, service, and research.
As a higher education scholar and award-winning educator and community leader, Dr. Proctor became keenly aware and focused on how a quality education has an impact on one's life outcomes and destiny. During her tenure, Harper has been named a 2023 Aspen Top 25 Community College and an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction.
Through a donation from MacKenzie Scott, Dr. Proctor created the Igniting Paths to Success Scholarship.
She serves on the board of directors for the American Association of Community Colleges; the board of directors for the Community Colleges for International Development (chair); and the board of directors for Barrington Bank & Trust Co. Additionally, she was a member of the advisory board for Courageous Conversations-Barrington, and a member of the inaugural cohort of the Barrington Civic Leaders.
This is the sixth class of OWL recipients. Last year's honorees were: Monica Gurgiolo of Kelleher & Holland, LLC, the OWL recipient for Professional Excellence; Betsy Wintringer of Barrington Youth & Family Services, the OWL recipient for Nonprofit Leadership; Jessica Green of Courageous Community, the OWL recipient for Community Impact; and Kyle Kick of BStrong Together, the OWL recipient for Mentorship and Education.
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce's Women's Biz Net is a network of professionals focused on empowering each other. WBN offers monthly meetings and programs that bring relevant topics, networking opportunities and a forum for building relationships that can enhance your business aspirations and enrich your life.
For information on OWL Program sponsorship opportunities, call the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce at (847) 381-2525 or email communications@barringtonchamber.com.